Expect lane closures at James River Bridge this weekend

February 06, 2013|By Austin Bogues, abogues@dailypress.com | 247-4536

Expect delays on the James River Bridge this weekend as the Virginia Department of Transportation will perform maintenance on the southbound span this weekend from Friday night to early Monday morning.

The work will replace two standby diesel generators on the bridge that serve as emergency backup to lift the the span in case of a power outage, VDOT said. The work is being done by W.F. McGann, of Portsmouth, which received a $1.2 million contract to complete the project by October of 2013.

While the work takes place single lane closures will take place beginning Friday at 9 p.m. for northbound and southbound traffic. A crossover traffic pattern will be used to switch traffic onto the northbound lanes of the bridge.

VDOT is encouraging motorists to use the I-664 Monitor Merrimac Memorial Bridge-Tunnel as an alternate route while the work takes place this weekend and the weekend beginning Feb. 15. Maritime traffic at the bridge will also be affected during the weekend of Feb. 15, VDOT said.

The work is scheduled for the next two weekends out of concern for some inhabitants of the bridge's tower.

"Well we had to pick this weekend because of the peregrine falcon nesting season coming up," said Jennnifer Gwaltney, a spokeswoman for VDOT. "We've got to make sure we get that work done before they start nesting which starts from mid February through mid July."

Work at the James River Bridge

• There will be single lane closures at the James River Bridge for north and southbound traffic beginning Friday Feb. 8 from 9 p.m. to Monday Feb. 11 at 5 a.m.

• There will be single lane closures northbound and southbound beginning Friday Feb. 15 from 9 p.m. until Monday Feb. 18 at 5 a.m. Maritime traffic at the bridge will also be affected this weekend.